Exploring the expansion of mandatory accreditation for advanced imaging facilities;

Working with professional societies to establish minimum standards for training and education for hospital and imaging facility personnel who perform medical imaging exams and deliver radiation therapy treatments;

Expanding and standardizing the reporting of medical errors associated with medical radiation across stakeholders in a manner that is transparent for patients, families and physicians.

Commitment to Dose Reduction

MITA and its industry partners are dedicated to enhancing patient safety by reducing radiation dose while maintaining, and even improving, image quality. MITA joins the imaging community in championing the ALARA principle, which stands for “as low as reasonably achievable.” This principle of radiation dose management and optimization is incorporated into all imaging procedures and technologies, and is mandated by nearly all regulatory bodies and licensing agencies, including the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Imaging Industry Commitment to Dose Reduction
MITA member companies collaborate with radiologists, medical physicists, technologists and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to develop and implement radiation dose standards and patient safety features on medical devices.

MITA’s Dose Optimization Efforts
The November 2012 issue of NEMA’s electroindustry magazine featured an article on recent efforts by MITA and its industry partners to reduce radiation dose.

To better ensure patient safety and optimize device performance, MITA works with imaging equipment manufacturers to help lead the development of industry and international standards for imaging systems and provide expert recommendations on quality and safety checks. MITA’s computed tomography (CT) and radiation therapy (RT) members have each taken the lead on separate industry-wide initiatives to develop and implement additional patient protection features for CT and RT equipment.

MITA Statement onCT Access Control StandardIn October 2012, MITA joined The American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM), Alliance for Radiation Safety in Pediatric Imaging and Image Wisely in applauding the publication of NEMA’s XR 26 Access Controls for Computer Tomography: Identification, Interlocks, and Logs. The access control standard enhances patient safety by requiring software features that ensure only authorized operators can alter the controls of CT equipment.

MITA and its members continue to work closely with industry partners, physicians, medical physicists, nurses and technologists to improve patient safety and care.

Image GentlyMITA partnered with the Alliance for Radiation Safety in Pediatric Imaging to establish the “Image Gently” campaign to educate medical professionals and parents about imaging protocols that can reduce imaging-related dose for children.

Image WiselyMITA also supports the “Image Wisely” campaign, which focuses on reducing unnecessary exposure for adults.

Summit on Management of CT Radiation Dose
MITA encouraged continued stakeholder collaboration to minimize radiation exposure at the National Institutes of Health’s 2011 “Summit on Management of Radiation Dose in Computerized Tomography (CT): Toward the Sub-mSv Exam.”

FDA Collaboration

MITA maintains an ongoing partnership with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to develop and implement new radiation safety features and user information.